Heaven Forbid
by Darkfaery1
Summary: Sirius Black, dissatisfied with the afterlife, befriends an angel named Doriel. As they become increasingly closer, Sirius and Doriel risk being thrown out of Heaven for all eternity. Rated R for sexuality and violence, just to be safe. Sirius Black/OFC.
1. Doriel

**Chapter One: Doriel**

Sirius Black had told his godson Harry that death was 'Quicker than falling asleep', but he neglected to tell Harry that death—or more accurately, Heaven—was a colossal bore. Oh, it was all right if you had someone to share the afterlife with, but Sirius found himself quite alone.

Today was the first Halloween since Voldermort had been defeated. All those who had died fighting led the celebration that included many deceased Muggle couples as well. James and Lily, Remus and Nymphadora were the first on the dance floor; dozens of others followed after them. The adoring couples floated several feet off the ground, their deep love holding them up. Sirius found himself feeling more than a little resentful—he didn't exactly begrudged his friends their soul mates, but wished his own life had played out differently. He had been twenty-two when he was sent to Azkaban for crimes he didn't commit, and before then he never dated any girl long enough to call it a relationship.

Luckily there was a bar as well as a dance floor. Sirius took a chair and the jolly man behind the bar poured him a glass of his favorite ale without Sirius having to ask for it. He turned away from the dancing and took a long pull at his drink. Unfortunately no matter how much or how fast he drank he would never be able to get more than a strong buzz. Apparently it was against Heaven's rules to get roaring drunk, still he did his best by consuming four ales in quick succession.

"Sirius, are you trying to get drunk again?" Sirius turned to see James and Lily regarding him with concern.

Lily smiled and held out her hand. "Come dance with me."

Sirius shook his head. "You two go on. I feel like dreaming."

James sighed. "You don't have to be miserable if you don't want to be."

Sirius smiled widely and rose, then patted his old friend on the arm. "I've been restless all my life, why should my death be any different?" He left the party, then immediately transformed into his dog self. Deceased spirits didn't need to sleep, but they needed to dream. He found his dog dreams far simpler and more satisfying than those he had as a wizard.

He entered his little house that had been assigned to him when he first arrived in Heaven and found a comfy dog bed waiting for him. Within minutes he was asleep, dreaming of gnawing on bones, chasing cats up trees, and scratching fleas. Somewhere between waking and sleeping he felt a gentle hand stroking his great black head. He lazily opened his eyes and saw a two yellow eyes staring down at him. He started awake and realized it was an angel who was petting him. She was very pale with straw colored curly hair, dressed in a short white toga and sandals. Her large wings were pure, snowy white. He began to bark in surprise. The angel flapped her wings in front of her as if to shield herself and disappeared.

As soon as she was gone Sirius returned to his wizard self and continued to stare at where the angel had been. "You didn't have to leave!" he called after her.

The next day Sirius caught up with Remus and Tonks in their house down the street.

"Guess what I saw last night?" Sirius asked them. They both looked at him expectantly. "An angel," he told them.

Tonks shrugged. "Well, it is Heaven."

"Yes it's Heaven, but how many angels do you see walking around?" Sirius asked. "The only one I saw was the one who processed me when I died."

"You have a point there," replied Remus. "I wonder why we don't see more of them around here. Perhaps they don't like to mingle with mere mortals."

"This one was patting me on the head," Sirius told them, causing Remus to raise an eyebrow. "I was a dog at the time."

Tonks smiled. "Was she pretty?"

"How did you know the angel was female?"

"I doubt you'd be so interested if it had been male," she said with a wink.

"We were just heading out to the New Globe Theatre," Remus told him. "Shakespeare himself is putting on a new production of _The Tempest_. Why don't you come with us."

Sirius shook his head. "No thanks, I'd rather roam the edges of the Veil. I might catch a glimpse of Harry and see what he's up to."

Tonks sighed then gave Sirius a sisterly hug. "The sooner you accept that the living are no longer our concern, the happier you'll be."

Sirius grunted noncommittally and left the pair to Shakespeare. Sirius walked the perimeter of the Veil, but saw nothing that interested him. He closed his eyes and attempted to still his mind and thought only of his godson Harry. When he opened them again, the angel he had seen in his house was standing before him. Now that he got a good look at her, he decided she was indeed pretty despite her strange golden eyes, but her sudden appearance irritated him.

"You should listen to your friends," she said. "Harry Potter is no longer your concern. I know you are lonely but—"

"How do you know anything about me?" Sirius yelled. "Who are you anyway? Are you spying on me?"

The angel gazed at him for several moments, wide-eyed. "I-I was just trying to help you," she said in a small voice. "You are so very lonely—"

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The angel stood straight and extended her wings, the voice that escaped her lips had the entire power of Heaven behind it, making Sirius's spirit shake: "I am Doriel of the Cherubim, one of seventy-two angels in charge of the hour of noon!"

"Well, hello Doriel of the Cherubim," Sirius said, smiling in spite of himself. "What's it to you if I try to watch out for my godson?"

"Because it's dangerous for mortal spirits to become obsessed with the living," she said. "You can find yourself expelled from Heaven and become a ghost."

"Being a ghost would be preferable to this—paradise," Sirius said with a derisive snort.

"Don't say that," Doriel replied with a look of horror. "Ghosts are stuck in limbo for eternity—you would be lucky if you did not go mad."

"It couldn't be any worse than Azkaban." At her questioning look he explained, "It's a horrible Wizard prison. I was there for twelve years before I escaped. I just want to see Harry to make sure he's all right. Can you help me?"

Doriel nodded. "All right, but just for a moment. Take my hand."

Sirius took Doriel's hand as she began to flap her wings, carrying both of them across the boundaries of Heaven to the Weasley's home, the Burrow, in Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon, England. Sirius was glad Harry was staying with the Weasleys rather than at the Black's ancestral home at 12 Grimmauld Place. He found Harry sitting at the dinner table enjoying a meal with the rest of the Weasley clan, except for Fred who had died in the battle for Hogwarts. During the meal Harry cast frequent loving glances at Ginny Weasley.

Sirius's heart filled with affection towards his godson. He turned to see Doriel smiling at him. "I'm afraid we can only stay a moment longer."

He nodded in understanding. "Harry!" he called. "Be happy and don't let that girl get away from you!" Sirius's smile faded when he realized Harry could not hear him.

"I'm sure he has not forgotten you." Doriel squeezed his hand before flying them away from the convivial scene. She dropped him off in front of his little house.

"Thank you, Doriel," Sirius said sincerely though his mood had darkened. "May I ask you why you helped me?"

Doriel looked away as her wings almost enveloped her. "Because," she whispered shyly, "I am lonely too."

" _ **DORIEL!"**_ Came a booming voice out of nowhere.

"Oh no!" The angel looked around her in fear before she disappeared, leaving Sirius to wonder if he would ever see her again.

To be continued...

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	2. A Small Rebellion

**Chapter Two: A Small Rebellion**

When Doriel reappeared she immediately fell to her knees. The imposing golden Throne of the Seraphim in the white marble audience chamber was occupied by the supreme Archangel Michael. On his right hand stood the Archangel Uriel; on his left stood the Archangel Gabriel. The leader of the Seraphim looked down upon her severely. "What were you doing with that Wizard?"

"I-I wasn't doing anything!" she stammered. "He wanted to see his godson and I just thought—After all it is our duty to make mortal spirits happy."

"You know fraternization with mortals is forbidden," Michael reminded her.

"I wasn't fraternizing!" Doriel protested.

"What do you call it then?" Michael gave her a look of undisguised disdain. "A handsome young Wizard is too much of a temptation for one of the Cherubim."

Uriel motioned for Michael to come closer. "I suggest we let the girl do what comes naturally," the archangel whispered. "If she is meant to fall, let her do it so we have one less angel in Heaven who is drawn to the flesh. If you recall she was sympathetic to Lucifer at the time of the Great War."

"I remember." Michael nodded grimly. "Very well." He looked up and addressed the recalcitrant angel again. "You know the rules, Doriel. Follow them and be content. If you do not, there will be consequences."

Doriel bowed low. "I will do my best, Michael, I swear."

The next evening, James and Lily invited Sirius and the Lupins over for dinner.

"It seems I've attracted the attention of an angel," Sirius told his friends. "She took me to see Harry at the Weasleys."

"Is he well?" Lily asked anxiously.

"We could only stay for a moment, but yes, he looked very well and happy," Sirius told her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his old friend James Potter frowning. After dinner James took him aside.

"Sirius, I know you meant well, but it upsets Lily that she can't see Harry whenever she wants. And here you are with your new angel friend, checking in on Harry as easy as you please."

"James," Sirius said, taken aback by his friend's anger, "I never wanted to upset anyone. I thought you'd be glad to know Harry is all right."

"I am, it's just that—I guess I'm just angry it wasn't us who got to see him," James admitted.

"If it means anything I haven't seen Doriel at all today and even if I do see her again I doubt we'll be able to visit Harry again."

Sirius was more disconcerted than he thought he should be by Doriel's absence. She was a weird little thing he didn't quite know what to make of. Still she provided him with an amusing distraction he desperately needed. Besides, he rather liked her.

The next morning when he left his house, he found Doriel doing aerial acrobatics outside. It was obvious she was trying to impress him with her flying, so how could he disappoint her? He clapped loudly then called for her to land. After a few more somersaults she did so.

"Good morning, Mr. Black," she said brightly while smoothing out her curly yellow hair.

"Good morning, Doriel," he replied. "Please call me Sirius."

"Do you like the water, Sirius?"

"I do."

"Wonderful! I'll show you the River of Life!" She took his hand and was just about to fly off with him when Sirius stopped her.

"Doriel, are you supposed to be flying me anywhere?" Sirius asked. "It's just that you're the only angel I've seen since after I first arrived."

"Oh, we are actually everywhere, but we're supposed to remain invisible. That's how we are able to provide for you and your fellow mortals."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "But you're not invisible."

Doriel shrugged. "When I saw you and how alone you were, I thought it I could provide for you better if I wasn't invisible."

Sirius chuckled. "I guess I'm just not used to this level of attention."

Doriel lowered her head. "I've displeased you."

Sirius took her by the shoulders. "You've done no such thing. It's just that you needn't try quite so hard."

Downcast, she nodded in understanding. "I suppose I should leave now."

"You don't have to do that either," he said, taking her hand. "There's a nice pond across the heath that's rather pleasant at this time of day. Would you like to come with me?"

Doriel flapped her wings with excitement. "Yes please!"

When they arrived at the pond, a mild breeze gently rippled across the water. Sirius sat down at the edge of it and took off his shoes and stockings, then dipped his bare feet in the cool water. He motioned for Doriel to do the same. After a moment's hesitation she removed her sandals and dipped her feet in as well.

"Sirius, yesterday you said you were in a Wizard prison. May I ask you what you did?"

"Nothing. I was framed for the murder of twelve Muggles—non-magical mortals— and another Wizard. After I escaped I was forced to hide from the authorities. I never had much of a life after I escaped, but at least I died fighting our enemies and protecting Harry."

"I fought in the war against Lucifer—well, I held a sword anyway. I'm glad I didn't hurt any of my fellow angels, even if they were rebels." Tears sprang to Doriel's eyes. "Our family was torn apart when a third of the angelic host fell."

"It was like that during both the Wizarding Wars," Sirius told her sadly. "Family against family. My own mother disowned me when I chose to fight against Voldemort."

"I've heard that name—he was truly evil, but Lucifer wasn't like Voldemort," Doriel was quick to explain. "He was the best of us. He did not want to destroy man he just could not bear the thought of bowing to Adam. I just wish God could have forgiven Lucifer his pride. Heaven hasn't been the same since. Michael is very strict lest there be another rebellion."

Sirius couldn't help thinking he would have done the same as Lucifer if he'd been in his shoes—or sandals. He handed her a handkerchief with which to wipe her eyes. "The Archangel Michael, is he the one who called for you the other day?"

Doriel nodded. "But we aren't doing anything wrong."

"Not yet," Sirius said with a mischievous grin. He suspected they were very likely breaking a rule or two, but he didn't care. Besides, defying the Powers That Be gave him a rush of excitement he hadn't felt since he was alive. He pushed back a few stray curls behind Doriel's ear, then stroked her cheek. "You're very pretty," he told her.

She blushed bright red then risked meeting his eyes. "So are you."

Sirius laughed. "Do you know how long it's been since I've kissed a woman?"

"H-how long?" she breathed.

"Too long." Sirius took her chin in his hand and leaned in for a soft kiss.

When he withdrew Doriel's smile was as bright as the sun. "Do you know when I was last kissed by a man?"

He smiled and shook his head.

"Never," she sighed. "Do it again, please."

Sirius kissed the little angel again, this time teasing her mouth open with his tongue. Doriel gasped in surprise, allowing Sirius to deepen the kiss while she began to run her hands tentatively through his long hair. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close then Doriel's wings curled forward to envelop them both in an embrace.

Unbeknownst to the couple, Uriel bore silent witness to their latest transgressions. It wouldn't be long before Doriel was arrested for crimes against angel kind and that ill-humored Wizard could be expelled from Heaven permanently.

To be continued…

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	3. Three Little Words

A/N: I borrowed the idea of a wing clamp from the brilliant novel _Convivium_ by Andi Sydenham.

 **Chapter Three: Three Little Words**

Sirius and Doriel were snogging for a good hour when the angel suddenly jumped to her feet. "It's almost noon! I have to go!" She started flapping her wings and hovered a few feet above him. "May we kiss some more tomorrow?"

"I look forward to it," Sirius said, rising. "Oh, don't forget your sandals." He handed her the shoes and she gave him a final peck on the lips in thanks.

"By the way your whiskers tickle," Doriel said giggling before she turned and flew halfway down the block before disappearing.

The hours of the day were honored by the angels in charge of them through song offered up to God—the Maker of all the hours of the day. After reluctantly leaving Sirius's side, Doriel gathered with her fellow Cherubim and sang clearer and sweeter than any of her seventy-one fellow angels of midday. She was certain God could hear the love in her voice and would not object to her growing affection for the mortal Wizard. After all, Sirius had kissed her for an hour and no one appeared to tell them to stop. Doriel sighed inwardly. Oh, his kisses! She wanted to thank the mortal who invented that most pleasant of all diversions.

Doriel managed to convince herself rather easily that Michael surely would have called for her if he objected to her behavior and there was only one reason why he had not—Michael knew that what she was feeling for Sirius was love not lust. Surely not even the chief Archangel could object to the presence of more love in Heaven.

Every day for a week after that she and Sirius met by the pond to talk, hold hands, and kiss and everyday she fell more in love with him.

For Sirius Doriel was unlike any woman he had ever met. Her innocence and straightforwardness were a breath of fresh air, but he was careful not to let things get out of hand. As much as he wanted to, he didn't try to move the relationship past kissing. According to his friends, it was all right if mortal couples made love in the privacy of their own heavenly homes, but he doubted if that extended to a mortal and an angel. Perhaps that's why none of Doriel's superiors had objected to their relationship and Sirius wanted to keep it that way. For the first time in a long time he wasn't alone and he found his sweet angel to be a most sympathetic listener.

"The Dementors that guarded Azkaban sucked every bit of happiness or hope straight out of the prisoners," he explained.

Doriel stroked his hair soothingly. "I imagine that is what Hell must be like—the only place hidden from the Light of God. How did you survive it?"

Sirius then admitted something he had never told anyone before. "I thought about taking my own life or just not eating and dying of starvation, but I couldn't bring myself to give up."

"If it wasn't hope that kept you going, what did?" she asked.

He gave her a grim smile. "Revenge—against the Wizard who framed me for his crimes, against the Ministry, against the world for allowing my friends James and Lily to be killed. Revenge is what kept me going. Sometimes I wonder if I ended up in the right place."

Doriel's golden eyes went wide. "Please don't say that, Sirius! Of course you're in the right place." She touched the tattoo on his neck. "What are these markings?"

"It's my prisoner number that was burned into me when I was first thrown into Azkaban." He opened his shirt and showed her the tattoos on his chest. "These I gave myself during my incarceration. I was in solitary confinement and these tattoos helped protect me from the effects of the Dementors and kept me somewhat sane."

As he described the meaning of each tattoo, Doriel traced them with her finger. Her feather-light touch made his nether regions tingle. By her naïve expression Sirius could tell she had no idea what she was doing to him. His breath caught in his throat when she trailed her finger down to his solar plexus. Grasping her hand gently he brought it to his lips.

Sirius then took her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly. "I want you to come to dinner tonight and meet my friends."

"But I do not need to eat," Doriel pointed out.

"Neither do we, but it's pleasurable just the same."

"All right," she replied. "I will meet your friends and eat your food tonight."

He smiled. "Then it's settled. By at my house at six."

When Doriel arrived that evening for dinner, she said a quick hello to the Potters and the Lupins before throwing her arms around Sirius's neck and kissing him passionately. After a few moments Sirius extricated himself from her ardent embrace.

"I'm glad to see you too, Doriel," he said, his cheeks burning pink. James and Remus started to snicker as if the Marauders were all back at school.

Nymphadora rolled her eyes and tried not to laugh herself. "Now that Sirius has had his before-dinner tonsillectomy, I'm Tonks and this is Lily. These two overgrown adolescents are our husbands Remus and James."

"It is a great pleasure to meet you all." The angel spread her wings wide, while a golden light magically appeared behind her and then, in that booming voice which made them all tremble and caused the house to shake, she announced, "I am Doriel of the Cherubim, one of seventy-two angels in charge of the hour of noon!" She then tucked in her wings and said in a small voice. "But you may call me Doriel."

"I think I'm beginning to understand why angels always start with 'Do not be afraid' whenever they appear to mortals," said Remus.

Once the Potters and the Lupins had gotten over the shock of seeing an angel in full aspect, Sirius invited them to sit down to a sumptuous feast that magically appeared, much like at Hogwarts, though Sirius knew better than to compare angels to house elves.

"So you're one of the Cherubim, like Cherubs, right?" Tonks asked.

"Yes, but not all of us are Cherubs, as you can see," Doriel explained as she tentatively speared a piece of Yorkshire pudding with her fork. "The Archangel Michael, with God's approval, thought it best to start making us in the image of winged babies." She stuffed the entire piece in her mouth and proclaimed: "Mmmm, food is good!"

"Why is that?" Lily asked. "About the cherubs, I mean, not the food."

Sirius handed Doriel a glass of wine to wash down the Yorkshire pudding. After declaring wine the best drink ever she replied, "Because the Cherubim, more than any of the other eight choirs of angels in the celestial hierarchy are susceptible to the allure of mortals."

Sirius grinned. "So that's why you like me. And here I thought it was my irresistible charm and good looks."

"Oh, Sirius," Doriel said, her face flushed from the wine. "I don't just like you, I love you!"

James and Remus both started coughing, while the color drained from Sirius's face. He gave his friends an awkward glance, then turned to face Doriel. "You don't love me, how could you? We haven't known each other that long."

"I know my own heart, Sirius!" Doriel said with sadness and a touch of anger that was incongruous with her gentle nature. "Remember, I am thousands of years older than you and I have never felt this longing—this pain inside me before!"

"I'm so sorry," Sirius said sincerely. "I do care for you, but I didn't mean to lead you on."

Tears started streaming down Doriel's face. "But the way you kissed me—I thought for certain you loved me too." She jumped from her chair and started flapping her wings. "I'll not bother you again." With that she disappeared.

"Doriel!" Sirius called after her. "Please come back!"

"Great dinner party, Sirius," James said sarcastically. "Next time can you wait until after dessert before you break the angel's heart?"

Doriel flew without knowing or caring where she was going. Finally she found a lonely corner of Heaven in which to land. She curled up in a tearful ball using her wings as a blanket, then fell into a dreamless sleep. When she awoke, the Archangel Uriel was standing above her in full armor. Behind him stood two of the Angels of Punishment, Shoftiel and Rogziel. Shoftiel held up a torturous device Doriel had not seen since the Great War in Heaven—a wing clamp.

"You are under arrest for the sin of carnal lust." Uriel motioned to the other two angels who grabbed Doriel roughly. She screamed as they applied the steel clamp to her wings, which prevented her from flying or disappearing. The pain the device caused was almost too much for her to bear, but did nothing to relieve the aching in her heart caused by Sirius's rejection.

To be continued…

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	4. The Trial From Hell

**Chapter Four: The Trial From Hell**

Sirius hardly slept that night, berating himself for the way he handled Doriel's declaration of love. It was true he had never committed himself to any Witch he had dated prior to his incarceration; perhaps that was the reason he was so quick to deny his own feelings. He didn't know if he loved Doriel or not, but he knew he didn't want their relationship to end, especially not like this. The next day, Sirius called for Doriel repeatedly but she wouldn't materialize.

To his surprise, another angel appeared. This one was wearing armor and a shimmering sword.

"I am Rogziel, one of the Angels of Punishment!" he said in that booming voice, with the blinding Light of Heaven behind him.

He was a truly frightening sight, but Sirius stood his ground. "What do you want?"

"Doriel of the Cherubim with be tried for high crimes against the Angelic Host," Rogziel announced. "You will appear as a witness for the prosecution."

"I will do no such thing!" Sirius replied. "She didn't do anything wrong!"

"You have no choice in the matter," Rogziel told him.

"If I'm to testify against her I demand to see Doriel first," Sirius said. "When is this trial being held?"

Rogziel put a strong hand on Sirius's shoulder. "Now!"

Sirius suddenly found himself in the witness box. He quickly looked around the courtroom and saw the Lupins and the Potters in the public gallery looking as helpless as he felt, surrounded by a hundred angels. Doriel was in the defendant's box stooped over in pain—a metal clip that was attached to her wings was digging into her flesh. The sight of blood on the feathers of her wings filled him with rage.

"Sirius Black," said a burly angel in full armor, "Is it true Doriel of the Cherubim told you that she loved you last night in the presence of four other witnesses?"

"Yes, but—"

"I am through with this witness," Uriel said with an arrogant smirk.

"I haven't finished my answer!" Sirius yelled. He turned to gaze at the judge who had an aura of command about him. Sirius assumed he must be the Archangel Michael. "Please, let me explain."

"Do so at your own peril," said Michael severely.

"I kissed her," Sirius admitted. "She confused it for love. I take full responsibility for this. She's as innocent as a child, I shouldn't have taken advantage her."

Michael smiled triumphantly. "So you admit you purposely seduced her?"

Sirius shook his head. "I did no such thing! I meant no harm!"

"Enough!" Michael waved his hand causing Sirius to disappear from the witness box and reappear in the public gallery next to James.

"Stand Doriel!" Michael commanded. Rogziel and another armored angel came forward and pulled her roughly to her feet. "You are guilty of carnal lust for a mortal. Your wings will be severed and you will be thrown into the Abyss to join your old friend Lucifer in Hell."

"For a few kisses? There was nothing carnal about it!" Sirius said, incredulous, then jumped to his feet. "You're worse than the Ministry of Magic!"

"How dare you compare us to a mortal government!" Michael hissed dangerously. "Have a care Sirius Black or you will find yourself exiled as well."

James looked up at his best friend as if silently asking him if he was sure he knew what he was doing. Sirius returned the look with one of steadfast determination. He might be unsure of his feelings for Doriel, but there was no way he could leave her to face her fate alone.

"Uriel, take her!" Michael ordered.

Uriel motioned for the two Angels of Punishment to drag Doriel from the defendant's box to kneel before the judge. She managed to catch Sirius's eye and forced a smile. A moment later another angel entered wearing a black hood and holding a giant axe.

"You can't do this, it's barbaric!" Sirius tried to rush to her side, but he was easily restrained by Uriel.

The two angels roughly pulled Doriel's wings outward as the other angel raised his axe. With one stroke both her wings were severed from her back. Doriel screamed then fell forward, unconscious.

"NO!" Sirius yelled in horror.

The Wizard finally managed to wrest himself from Uriel's strong grip and ran to Doriel, taking her into his arms. He removed his jacket and wrapped the bleeding stumps on her back with it. "How could you be so cruel?" Sirius asked Michael. "She has the purest heart of anyone I've ever known."

Michael grinned. It was obvious he was enjoying this. "Not for long."

Doriel started to rouse, then cried out in pain.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sirius asked.

"Once she is thrown into the Abyss her wings will grow back into bat wings, then her true nature will be revealed." Michael pointed at the two angels. "This has gone on long enough. Wizard, rejoin your friends while you still can. Rogziel, Shoftiel rid us of her presence!"

Doriel touched his cheek. "Sirius, do not forget me." The Angels of Punishment took hold of her arms and dragged her to one corner of the courtroom. The walls moved back of their own accord and a dark, bottomless pit appeared.

Sirius looked from James to Michael, imploring with his eyes for the Archangel to reconsider. Michael looked away, and with a wave of his hand ordered his minions to throw her in the pit.

"No!" Sirius yelled. "I won't let you do this to her!" Sirius ran to her and grabbed her around the waist just as she was pushed over the edge. "At least she won't be alone," Sirius said as he fell with her.

Doriel and Sirius buried their heads in each other's shoulders until their descent began to slow. They risked looking around them and saw a round tunnel with a fiery light at the bottom of it miles below them.

"Sirius, why?" Doriel asked. "Why would you throw away an afterlife in Heaven for me?"

"I couldn't let them do this to you without doing something." He closed his eyes and thought carefully of his words before speaking. "Commitment was never my strong suit, but I don't want to lose you. Please don't give up on me yet."

A blissful expression crossed Doriel's features. She rested her head on his shoulder and embraced him tightly. Sirius kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her, careful to avoid her terrible injuries.

It might have been hours or days before Sirius saw a fiery lake below them. He told Doriel to take a deep breath and hold it, then did the same. They hit the roiling water hard. It was immediately apparent that Doriel didn't know how to swim for she began to sink to the bottom. Sirius grabbed the back of her tunic and pulled her to the surface. "Get on my back and wrap your arms around my neck." Doriel nodded weakly and did as he instructed, then Sirius managed to swim to the lake's bank and pull them out onto the shore.

As Doriel lay on the hot ground she started to cry. "I wish they could have just killed me. Now we're both robbed of God's Light. I can hardly bear it, Sirius."

"We are manifestations of God, aren't we?" Sirius couldn't believe the words were coming out of his mouth. "As long as we're alive there's hope. I didn't have anyone in Azkaban, but now we have each other. We can bear this together."

"I would like to see you try," said a deep, mocking voice.

Sirius looked up and saw a huge, horned demon with great black wings, flanked by two vicious hellhounds.

The demon smiled. "Welcome to Hell."

To be continued…


	5. Padfoot's Inferno

**Chapter Five: Padfoot's Inferno**

Sirius pushed Doriel behind him while the huge winged demon and his vicious hellhounds stared them down. "Are you Satan?" the wizard asked.

The demon laughed at the two new arrivals. "A simple-minded angel and her human paramour hardly rate a welcome from the King of Hell himself. I am Astaroth, a Duke of the Infernal Host."

"Hello Astaroth," said Doriel, peeking out from behind Sirius. "I think I remember you from before the Fall."

Astaroth winced. "We don't mention the 'F' word around here. Lucifer is still a bit sensitive about that."

"Sorry," Doriel replied sheepishly.

"Speaking of Lucifer, he has asked me to find a place for you in my household until you acclimate to Hell," Astaroth explained. "Your wings will grow back when you allow the Darkness to enter your heart."

"But I don't want that to happen!" Doriel said with alarm. "I'd rather have no wings at all!"

Astaroth rolled his eyes. "Come now, no dramatics. The quicker you except your fate the easier your existence will be."

"What about Sirius?" she asked. "Isn't there somewhere we can go to be together?"

"He is not one of us," Astaroth said as the two hellhounds on either side of him started to growl. "His fate is as one of the damned." With a grin, Astaroth released the hounds.

Sirius immediately transformed into Padfoot and lunged at the two dogs with his fangs bared. Doriel screamed and tried to get in the middle of the dogfight, but Astaroth grabbed her arm and disappeared with her, leaving Padfoot to fend for himself.

Even though he was outnumbered he fought as hard as he could until one hellhound sunk his teeth into Padfoot's right shoulder, bringing him down to the ground. Then suddenly both hounds started to whine and whimper, then ran away. Padfoot then became his wizard self again. Before him floated two Dementors and a demon with the head of a pig and the body of a man, except that his feet were cloven hooves. What little happiness that was left inside of Sirius was siphoned away by the presence of the Dementors.

"There you are, Black! I am Puziel." the demon said triumphantly, apparently unaffected by the Dementors' power. "Thought you could use that Animagus trick down here to escape, didn't you? Never again my son!"

The demon grabbed the injured Sirius roughly by the collar, then murmured a few words in ancient Hebrew that Sirius didn't understand. Suddenly the bank of the burning lake became a corridor in Azkaban Prison. They were standing in front of a cell door that looked eerily familiar. Sirius looked down at himself and realized he was wearing his tattered prison stripes.

"Are we still in Hell?" Sirius asked, incredulous.

"Oh yes," said Puziel. "You see Hell is personalized for each one of the damned. What could be more hellish for you than a eternity in Azkaban with nothing but Dementors to keep you company?"

"Even though I've done nothing to deserve it?"

Puziel snorted derisively. "You had Paradise in your grasp and you gave it up for what? Sex?"

"No!" Sirius turned on him angrily. "Doriel was accused of something she was incapable of doing, as I once was. It's true I care for her, but more than that, I couldn't abandon her as I was abandoned when I was thrown into Azkaban."

Puziel gazed at him in bewilderment. "You did it out of compassion?"

Sirius nodded. "Yes! Why is that so hard to believe?"

"'Cause it's Hell. Duh." Puziel opened the cell door and pushed Sirius inside. "Too bad for you there's no points for that." The demon slammed the door then let out a gleeful cackle before he disappeared.

Even though the Dementors were not in the cell with him, he could feel his very soul plunging into the darkest pit of despair. Recklessness was Sirius's biggest flaw and now he was paying the ultimate price for not heeding James's silent warning. What made him feel even worse was the thought that sweet Doriel would soon be no different from the demons he had the displeasure of meeting.

Doriel stared at the items on the table in front of her, then past that at the pitiful soul on his knees begging for mercy. Astaroth had given her a dozen implements of torture with which to torment the man in her charge.

"This is Charlie Strom. He murdered his wife and embezzled funds from his accounting firm before accidently wrapping his motorcar around a telephone pole," the demon Duke had explained to her. Astaroth picked up the thumbscrew and handed it to her. "Start with this and move your way up the table. You get points for creativity so don't be afraid to think outside the box," Astaroth added before leaving her to it.

Doriel assumed the man deserved to be punished, but she was hardly the fallen angel for the job. Michael had warned her that her true nature would be revealed once she reached Hell, but all she could think about was Sirius.

"Please, please don't torture me," Charlie Strom pleaded.

Doriel sighed. She turned her attention from her own problems to the man before her. "Have you ever been in love, Charlie?"

The sniveling wretch briefly stopped sniveling. "W-what?"

Doriel put the thumbscrew down and got a sad wistful look on her face. "You must have loved your wife a little before you murdered her."

Charlie shrugged. "Sure, in the beginning, before she started nagging me about not making enough money. Is this some kind of new torture I never heard of?"

"Oh, Charlie, I don't want to torture you." Tears started streaming down her face. "I just want to be with Sirius."

"You just want to be serious?" Charlie asked, confused. "Because this feels pretty freakin' serious to me, lady."

"No, no, Sirius is my young man's name. I love him." She felt a strange pressure on the stumps on her back, then felt them growing outward. "Oh no, I think my bat wings are coming in!"

"Lady, I feel for you, I really do," Charlie said insincerely. "But if we could get this over with I'd really appreciate it."

Doriel decided in that moment that she would not let Hell creep into her soul one inch further. She ran to Charlie and hugged him tightly, the conjured a glass of clear, cold water. Charlie reached out for it tentatively, then breathed a sigh of relief when he took a sip. "I never knew water could taste so good."

"Find a place to hide and I'll tell Astaroth that I tortured you really well," Doriel said with a smile.

Charlie watched Doriel fly away then asked himself since when did demons have white feathers on their wings?

To be concluded…


End file.
